Ed Kea was born in Weesp, Holland but his family of fourteen relocated to Collingwood, Ontario when he was just four years old. In Canada he was exposed to the game of hockey and took to it very well. Kea never played Junior hockey, nor did he play collegiate hockey but he managed to turn professional in 1969 nonetheless. After two years with the Jersey Devils, and stops with the Seattle Totems and the St. Petersburg Suns, he was signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Flames in 1972.

The defenseman made his NHL during the 1973-74 season when he played three games for the Flames, but he was a regular the following season. Kea spent the next five seasons playing his solid, steady game on the Flames blue line before being dealt just prior to the 1979-80 season.

Kea was traded to St. Louis along with Don Laurence and a second round draft pick in exchange for Garry Unger.

With the Blues Kea played three and half seasons before being sent to the minors. During the 1982-83 season St. Louis shipped him to their farm team in Salt Lake. Unfortunately, while toiling for the Salt Lake Golden Eagles tragedy struck. Kea hit his head on the ice during a game and suffered severe head trauma and was left handicapped as a result. Though a series of operations saved his life, Kea's hockey career was obviously over and he retired and spent time with his wife and children.

Sadly, this wouldn't be the only tragedy for Ed Kea and his family. In September 1999 Kea drowned at his family cottage. Kea was just 51 years old.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

Season

Club

League

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

+/-

GP

G

A

TP

PIM

1967-68

Collingwood Legionnaires

OHA-C

1967-68

Collingwood Kings

OHA-Sr.

2

0

1

1

0

1968-69

Collingwood Legionnaires

OHA-C

1968-69

Collingwood Kings

OHA-Sr.

8

0

1

1

4

1969-70

Jersey Devils

EHL

52

4

18

22

130

1970-71

Seattle Totems

WHL

5

0

0

0

2

1970-71

Jersey Devils

EHL

74

8

26

34

148

1971-72

St. Petersburg Suns

EHL

63

10

39

49

107

6

2

2

4

20

1972-73

Omaha Knights

CHL

68

10

22

32

145

11

3

3

6

10

1973-74

Atlanta Flames

NHL

3

0

2

2

0

+2

1973-74

Tulsa Oilers

CHL

51

6

17

23

38

1973-74

Omaha Knights

CHL

7

2

1

3

13

1974-75

Atlanta Flames

NHL

50

1

9

10

39

+7

1974-75

Omaha Knights

CHL

21

6

6

12

26

1975-76

Atlanta Flames

NHL

78

8

19

27

101

+21

2

0

0

0

7

1976-77

Atlanta Flames

NHL

72

4

21

25

63

0

3

0

1

1

2

1977-78

Atlanta Flames

NHL

60

3

23

26

40

+25

1

0

0

0

0

1978-79

Atlanta Flames

NHL

53

6

18

24

40

-2

2

0

0

0

0

1978-79

Tulsa Oilers

CHL

2

0

3

3

0

1979-80

St. Louis Blues

NHL

69

3

16

19

79

+9

3

0

0

0

2

1980-81

St. Louis Blues

NHL

74

3

18

21

60

+15

11

1

2

3

12

1981-82

St. Louis Blues

NHL

78

2

14

16

62

+19

10

1

1

2

16

1982-83

St. Louis Blues

NHL

46

0

5

5

24

-7

1982-83

Salt Lake Golden Eagles

CHL

9

1

4

5

10

NHL Totals

583

30

145

175

508

32

2

4

6

39

CHL Second All-Star Team (1974)

Signed as a free agent by Atlanta, October 6, 1972. Traded to St. Louis by Atlanta with Don Laurence and Atlanta's 2nd round pick (Hakan Nordin) in 1981 NHL Draft for Garry Unger, October 10, 1979. Suffered career-ending concussion in game vs. Tulsa (CHL), March 9, 1983.